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News

This Week in Farm to School: 4/18/17

NFSN StaffTuesday, April 18, 2017

Every week, we share opportunities, action items and a selection of media stories that relate to the farm to school movement. To submit an item for consideration, send us an email. To be considered, content should be of national interest to the farm to school community.

Grants & Funding1. United Fresh Start Foundation Community Grants Program
The United Fresh Start Foundation is now accepting applications for its new Community Grants Program, established to help advance the organization’s mission to increase children’s access to fresh fruit and vegetables. Not-for-profit organizations focused on child nutrition, food access and creating healthy communities through increased access to fresh produce, can download the grant application here. Applications are due by April 20, 2017.

Webinars & Events1. Webinar: School Garden Program Sustainability and FinancesApril 25, 1pm PST
School gardens are tremendously popular and valuable resources, but these programs often face questions about if they can continue year-to-year. In this Webinar, the National School Garden Network will discuss dedicated garden program staffing, community engagement, and other factors that lead to programmatic sustainability. You’ll also learn from successful initiatives to secure corporate sponsorships; community partnerships; legislation; and school or district-level investments that lead to financial sustainability. Learn more and register here.

2. Every Kid Healthy WeekApril 24-28
Join us in celebrating Every Kid Healthy Week, April 24-28! Launched by Action for Healthy Kids in 2013, Every Kid Healthy Week is a time for schools, students, parents and communities to recognize their school’s wellness achievements through fun and interactive health-promoting events. Find more info and get involved at EveryKidHealthyWeek.org.

3. Request for Proposals: Southern Obesity SummitOctober 1-3 // Atlanta, Georgia
The Southern Obesity Summit Planning Committee invites individual applications for pre-conference sessions, breakout sessions, special sessions and Pillar workgroup sessions during the 11th Annual Southern Obesity Summit. These sessions will help attendees develop strategies and provide resources and tools to use in their work to reverse the obesity epidemic through working together with other southern states. The deadline for submissions in May 1. Learn more here.

Resources1. Webinar Recording: Statewide Farm to ECE Network Building
Statewide network building is a key approach to institutionalizing farm to ECE. Watch a recording of the April NFSN Farm to ECE Webinar to hear from farm to ECE leaders who share models from their states and identify keys to success in building statewide networks. Watch the recording here.

Action Opportunities1. Be Counted in the 2017 Census of Agriculture
In just a few months, America’s farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on their operations and communities by taking part in the Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census captures a complete count of all U.S. Farms and ranches and those who operate them. NASS is in the final stage for preparing the 2017 Census of Agriculture mailing list. If you are new to farming or didn’t receive a 2012 Census of Agriculture questionnaire there is still time to be counted by signing up at https://www.agcounts.usda.gov/cgi-bin/counts/. Simply click on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button below and provide the requested information.

Farm to School in the NewsHawaii farm to school program awarded NFSN grant
Mala‘ia Kula Kauai Farm to School Pilot Program is one of five schools selected for the National Farm to School Network’s Seed Change in Native Communities mini-grants. That means those involved with Mala‘ia Kula will be able to help develop school menus that include traditional foods like kalo; work with native producers for the school food supply chain and plant traditional crops; and break down barriers and reinvigorate traditional food philosophies. (The Garden Island)

Local farm to school efforts could expand amid state uncertainty
Despite concerns Wisconsin’s farm to school leadership could be cut in the next state budget, local proponents are carrying on with what an expanded outreach of homegrown healthy food selections. "What's happening in the classrooms and cafes is not going away. We know we have passionate schools and producers committed to farm to school," said Beth Hanna, farm to school director for Community GroundWorks and NFSN Wisconsin Core Partner. "What is at stake is the big picture planning ... needed to continue at significant levels or to scale up." (Green Bay Press-Gazette)